“This Guy’s a Real D-bag”: Joey Logano Extra Careful With Teammate Ryan Blaney After Pointed Message

As the NASCAR season nearly winds down, Ryan Blaney is set to pass on a tradition begun by Jimmie Johnson—writing a note in the Winner’s Journal for the next champion.

Johnson started the custom after winning his seventh title in 2016. Blaney, having won in 2023, will soon pen his entry, continuing a legacy that saw Joey Logano writing for him last year.

In a candid conversation on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Logano, the 2022 champion, reminisced about handing over the journal to Blaney at the Nashville banquet.

“I told him ‘I said I hope you enjoy having this journal. It’s the last time you’re gonna have it as long as I’m around,’ Which I don’t know if that’s true at all because he is really, really good and I’m sure he is going to win many more. But I thought it was funny,” said the #22 driver.

While inscribing his note in the Winner’s Journal, the 2022 Cup Champion laced his message with humor to ensure it was received in good spirits, adding a playful “Ha ha” to his comment.

He explained, “Sometimes when you write something down the humor doesn’t come through the words. So I was like, I didn’t want it to come across like, ‘Man, this guy’s a real D-bag.’ Ha-ha-ha.”

With a spot already secured in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix, Logano might just find himself reclaiming the journal from Blaney. On the other hand, Blaney, who’s near the bottom of the Round of 8 standings, faces a critical race at Martinsville, a track where he’s previously shown results, boasting the best average finish among all active NASCAR Cup drivers.

The upcoming race will offer him a golden opportunity to turn the tables and perhaps keep the journal for himself.

Previewing the final race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville

As the curtain prepares to close on the Round of 8 at Martinsville, the stakes couldn’t be higher with only two spots left in Championship 4. Logano and Tyler Reddick have already secured their places with victories at Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami, leaving six drivers vying for the remaining entries.

Christopher Bell, sitting comfortably with a 29-point buffer, appears well-positioned to secure a spot. His track record at Martinsville, featuring an average finish of 16.2 and a victory in 2022, makes him a strong contender.

William Byron, who holds a slender 7-point lead over the cutoff, boasts a better average finish of 13.8, adding to the competitive fervor. The drama intensifies knowing that each of the six hopefuls has tasted victory on Martinsville’s half-mile asphalt.

Among them, Denny Hamlin faces a dire scenario; only a win can assure his advancement, while any finish from second to fifth offers a mere 14% shot at progressing.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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